DIY Jumbo Confetti

Today's freebie project has got me going a little dotty! My office is covered in giant confetti, and there's nothing like giant tissue dots floating around to bring a smile to my face.. and drive the dog nuts.

This project is a super-sized version of send-off confetti. Keep reading for the simple (and therapeutic) steps involved in making your own jumbo confetti. I've also included a free template to the bag label.

Fill small bags with confetti, attach the printable label, and let your guests shower you and your new hubby with jumbo confetti on your way out. But don't stop there, the confetti can be used as decoration throughout your entire wedding. It couldn't be more economical to make, it's made from tissue paper, and making it really is fun. Trust me!

Use the confetti to decorate tables... your reception tables, guest book table, and cake table. Grab a handful and blow toward your photographer for a fun wedding shot. Fill clear helium balloons with confetti and use as part of your reception decor.

I was inspired to create this giant confetti by The Budget Savvy Bride's polka-dotted invitation collection, which is available right here on D&P. The collection is called Olivia, and is reminiscent of the warm glow of city lights. Delightful pops of color are paired with bold handwritten fonts. It's available in seven bright and festive colors.

Confetti is such a fun theme and an inexpensive way to tie your entire big day together. How else would you use the confetti?

Step 1: Download, Customize, and Print

Before you start download the free fonts and install them on your computer. The font information and download links are below. If you don’t have these fonts installed on your computer Word will substitute in a very bland font, and all the formatting will be thrown off. Your template won’t be pretty! After you install the fonts re-open MS Word.

Step 2: Trim

Using a paper trimmer or scissors, cut along the dotted lines. A paper trimmer will produce straighter cuts and will be faster, you can trim more than one sheet at once. Scissors will do the trick though.

Step 3: Punch Tissue

Lay out your tissue paper flat and stack about four sheets, using tissue in all your colors. You may find that you can stack more than four sheets and this will make the punching step go a little quicker.

Fold the tissue in half lengthways, and then in half again crossways. Start punching out confetti along the short fold.

Refold the short edge, moving the fold just enough so that you have a fresh section of tissue to punch. Repeat this step until there is no more tissue to punch.

I found this process very therapeutic. It was surprisingly addictive, like popping bubble wrap.

Continue on with new sheets of tissue until you have enough confetti for your needs. By my calculations, four sheets of tissue will fill four glassine bags, but you may like to use more or less, or be using the confetti in a completely different application (which I’d love to see, please send photos!)

Step 4: Separate Confetti and Fill Bags

You will probably have confetti all over the place at this stage, and may be going a little dotty yourself. I find it best to collect the confetti in a brown paper bag along the way, to keep it contained and limit the chance of finding colorful dots under your couch next Christmas. The brown paper bag also helps with the next step.

As you punch the confetti you will find that it sticks together in little towers. Fill the brown paper bag with confetti, fold over the top and shake, shake, shake. This will loosen up the confetti to maximize the dottiness. Don’t try using a plastic bag as this will produce static and you’ll have an even harder time separating the dots. If you do however end up with a plastic bag full of static-charged tissue dots, please invite in your cat or dog and encourage them to play with the dots, and send me a picture of the result.

Grab a couple of handfuls of confetti and fill each glassine bag.

Step 5: Attach Bag Wrap

Fold over the top of the glassine bag, wrap it with the label, and staple everything in place.

Voila! You are now ready to be showered in jumbo confetti as you make a dramatic exit!